The Eastern New Mexico News - Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Man claims self-defense in motel shooting

CLOVIS — A Texas man says he shot a would-be mugger who came at him with a knife early Friday morning outside a Clovis motel.

Zion Flores, 20, of Mission, Texas, said he was in his car about 8:15 a.m. when two men came toward him, one slashing his tire with a knife. Flores said he responded by pulling a gun and firing in self-defense.

“I seen them coming to the window, I just lowered the (car) window, and ‘Pop, pop, pop,’” Flores said.

Clovis police said a 40-year-old man was hospitalized with gunshot wounds to his buttocks. He was in stable condition at a Lubbock hospital on Friday afternoon.

Police and prosecutors said no arrests had been made Friday afternoon.

“They (police) want to complete their investigation to determine if it was self defense,” said Assistant District Attorney Jake Boazman.

“It’s not in dispute who did the shooting.”

Flores said the second man ran from the scene at the Travel Lodge motel after he shot the first one “in the ass.”

Police Capt. Roman Romero said in a news release that “all relevant witnesses and subjects were transported to the Clovis Police Department for interview. ... The investigation into this event is ongoing.”